


Like Juliette

by Saesama



Series: 28xFirst Kiss Combo [6]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Bittersweet, F/M, First Time, children trying to be adults
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-02
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 07:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1257193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saesama/pseuds/Saesama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You had a plan: You and Jane would get married and take control of your own lives and get out from your Mother's rule. </p><p>But first you had to fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Juliette

Jane sits on the couch next to you, her hands folded neatly in her lap. You fiddle with a seam in your trousers and don't look at her. "Do you think," she starts, her voice barely louder than the ticking clock in the corner. "That we're in love already?"

You mull over the question for a moment. "Well," you say slowly. "I do love you, I mean, you're my sister and all. Is that the same thing as being _in_ love?"

"But I'm not your sister," she points out. She's right. The Colonel told you both that, after a night of mint julieps and an argument with Mother. You were both found, and neither of you looked like Mother or the Colonel or each other, so it must be true. "I think only grown-ups fall in love," she says when you don't respond. 

"Juliette was in love," you argue.

"Juliette was fourteen," she counters. "And an idiot."

"A nincompoop," you agree.

Jane sighs through her nose. "Well," she says, sharp and decisive. "If we're going to get married some day, we're going to have to fall in love."

You hope getting married and falling in love means you can still see the world, because this house itches in the back of your head and you want to get _out_. But being married means you're an adult, right? And if you're an adult, Mother can't tell you what to do. "I guess so!" you say. "But I've never fallen in love before. How do we do it?"

"I don't know," Jane huffs. "How do they do it in books?"

You sit back and chew your lip as you hash it out. You've read all of the fantasies Mother allowed you, and while Mr. Defoe is your favorite, he doesn't exactly specialize in writing romantic endeavors. "Kissing," you say slowly. "I think kissing is how people fall in love."

"Mother and the Colonel don't kiss," Jane says dubiously.

"Mother has lamprey fangs," you respond. "I wouldn't want to kiss her, either."

Jane giggles and slouches back, and Mother would tan her hide if she walked in, because Jane's not allowed to get away with anything but perfect poise. "So, do you want to try?"

"What, now?" You sit up on your elbows and look at her. "Here?"

Jane picks at a thread on her bodice and juts her lower lip a little. "We may as well," she says stubbornly. "We _are_ going to be married some day, right?"

"Uh." You sit up slowly. "Yes. I do believe we are."

Jane sits up to meet you, her cheeks pink. She takes a deep breath, then she shuts her eyes and leans forward. It's all on you, now, and, well, you're the man, that's how it should be, right? You screw up your courage and move in and press your lips to hers.

Jane's way too close to be in focus, but you keep your eyes open anyway, and you see it when she peeps at you. You don't feel anything, not really. Her lips are warm and soft and that's about it. No fireworks, no swooning. Just Jane close enough to smell and mild trepidation from knowing that this is an Adult Thing and you're just children.

She squints at you again. "Is it working?" you mumble against her mouth.

Jane snorts inelegantly and sits back, biting her lip. You feel young and dumb. "I don't think so," she grumbles. "I think we need to be adults for it to work."

"Or practically adults," you say. "Like Juliette."

"But not nincompoops," she says firmly.

"Spot on." You take her hand and give her a crooked smile. "We'll try again when we're older, okay?" you say gently. "We've got time."

Jane sighs and leans her head on your shoulder. "I'll hold you to that," she murmurs.

You never get the chance. You leave later in the summer and she won't go with you. But you never forget that first clumsy kiss, and you will always wonder how different your life would be if you tried a little harder to fall in love.


End file.
